Japan Wants to Lead The Future of Flying Cars

Berlin, Germany – March 20: In this photo illustration the app of peer-to-peer ridesharing, food delivery, and transportation network company Uber is displayed on a smartphone on March 20, 2018 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo Illustration by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)

Japan is a society that seems to continuously attempting to innovate. Makes you think that Anime such as Ghost in The Shell may become a reality at some point. With the news of Flying Cars being pushed and backed by the government of Japan, that reality seems closer than ever.

According to Bloomberg:

The group will initially comprise 21 businesses and organizations, including Airbus SE, NEC Corp., a Toyota Motor Corp.-backed startup called Cartivator, ANA Holdings Inc., Japan Airlines Co., and Yamato Holdings Co., according to a statement Friday from the trade ministry in Tokyo. Delegates will gather Aug. 29 to help chart a road map this year, it said.

“The Japanese government will provide appropriate support to help realize the concept of flying cars, such as creation of acceptable rules,” the ministry said. “It’s necessary for the government to take a lead and coordinate on setting safety standards,” said Yasuo Hashimoto, a researcher at Tokyo-based Japan Aviation Management Research. “They are trying to set a tone for the industry ahead of other countries.”

Specifically in Japan, the company Cartivator, a group of volunteers working in the auto and aviation industries, aims to demonstrate flying vehicles during the opening ceremonies of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Around the world already flying cars have been tested, For example, French-based airplane manufacturer Airbus tested a one-person flying vehicle in January, while U.S. ride-hailing service provider Uber Technologies Inc. has unveiled a plan to put such cars into practical use by 2023.